Starter motor clutch fault?

[silverbullet]

Anyone experienced this before?

Symptoms as follows:

Utterly random cranking reliability, starter always spins but nearly always has a violent disengagement. Engine fails to start.
Anything from one or two compressions to 7 or 8 before it just whizzes.
Starter only gets warm, not hot. Starter feed cable not even warm.
Earth strap replaced, no change.
Another day it will catch first time, then no faults for days/weeks.

[colinthefox]

Yes, it sounds like the one way clutch on the bendix. If it's a bit gritty, any firing of the engine will kick out the starter instead of slipping the clutch.

You can take the clutch off, wash it out, dry it, then lubricate with oil. That cured mine.

Or fit a new clutch. They are available from starter repair specialists. Can't remember where I got mine from. It's still on the shelf cos the original worked OK again.

[Oldiebut goodie]

I get it a bit on my boat engine starter - the moist air seems give a slight coating of rust on the shaft which causes the same, I have replaced the starter once but it still happens if not used much.

[silverbullet]

Thanks gents! I will whip the starter off in the morning and wash out the clutch with some brake cleaner.
I do have a spare starter but typically, the one I need has a Packard-style plug for the solenoid feed, but the spare has Lucar blades...I am loathe to chop the loom over something so trivial. I can always swap the solenoid over.

[California Dreamin]

Petrol? I'm wondering if the oilite bush has worn slightly oval allowing the pinion to push out of drive.
Just as a side note. The starter bendix/helix screw ..should be cleaned but left dry otherwise the brake dust from the clutch will be attracted to the oil and form a black sludge which will cause the mechanism to stick.

Martin

[silverbullet]

SA, same as an Audi 034 starter with a "nose" to support the shaft. Will check it for wear too.

[California Dreamin]

I remember now...rare beauties
Another possibility of course is a weak switching signal..as you know, a very common phenomenon. Easy to check with a straight feed to the switching terminal on the solenoid (see if it behaves the same way?)

Martin

[silverbullet]

The unholy triad of a sticky bendix thanks to oily clutch dust, aluminium/iron corrosion between starter & block and a decidedly green solenoid terminal crimp (cut off, replaced, crimp and soldered)
A fair bit of cranking to clear the flooding and we are back in the game.
So I can now take a gaggle of girls to the pool for a birthday party.
Thanks again

[silverbullet]

The bus has stood for a couple of weeks and its playing up again.
I am wondering if the starter solenoid contacts are giving up? The tricky bit will be identifying a relacement. The body of the starter is identical to an 034 type, the solenoid heat shield has a 893....part number but there is that Packard plug for the solenoid feed:
[img]http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g475/IanHolman/SA%20bumpers/20141213_195308_zpspotkkngr.jpg[/img]
Anyone recognise it? It could well be Golf 3 or similar because the SA has CE2 electrics, apart from the column stalks which are CE1...
Unless of course its a failing starter relay!

[silverbullet]

Google search shows that it might just be a mk3 Golf solenoid.

[Oldiebut goodie]

PM me your email address and I will send you a pdf of Bosch starter motors identification pics and part nos. -solenoid, armature, bushes, brushes etc. Unfortunately you can't see the plug on the pics.
I've also got a pdf of solenoids - there are loads of Bosch ones listed.

[silverbullet]

Thanks. All SA local market parts have a 22S prefix which is no use in Europe!

[silverbullet]

Thanks to OBG, Aidan amd ETKA! Solenoid is Golf 3 and just about everything else mid-late 90's VAG that has a terminal 50 single pole plug for the solenoid feed.
Ordered a generic from eblag, only 18 quid.

[Oldiebut goodie]

Glad it helped.

[silverbullet]

Solenoid arrived from Vehicle Electrics Ltd, Birmingham.

It's the one, Golf 3 etc and looks the same as our '99 Sharan too